booby

来自拉丁词bulbus, 结巴，拟声词，词源同barbarian. 鲣鸟义来自西班牙语，一种跑得很慢的鸟。

booby (n.)

1590s, from Spanish bobo "stupid person, slow bird" (used of various ungainly seabirds), probably from Latin balbus "stammering," from an imitative root (see barbarian).

Booby prize is by 1883: an object of little value given to the loser of a game; booby trap is 1850, originally a schoolboy prank; the more lethal sense developed during World War I.

At the end of every session the dominie had the satirical custom of presenting his tawse as a "booby-prize" to some idle or stupid lout whom he picked out as meriting this distinction so that next time they met he might start fresh and fair with new pair for a new set of classes. [Ascott R. Hope, "Dumps," "Young England" magazine, 1883]

1. They walked right into a booby-trap and got blown to smithereens.

他们正好踩上了饵雷，结果被炸得粉身碎骨。

2. They dug trenches in their path and set booby traps.

他们在小路上挖深沟设饵雷。

3. Police were checking the area for booby traps.

警察在这个地区探测饵雷。

4. His booby-trapped car exploded.

他那辆被安有炸弹的汽车爆炸了。

5. Don't be such a booby!

不要那么傻！